CD3+ T-cells in severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) mice. III. Transferred congenic, selfreactive CD4+ T cell clones rescue IgM-producing, scid-derived B cells.

Young severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) mice completely lack immunocompetent lymphocytes. Limiting numbers of purified CD4+ T cells from allotype-congenic BALB/c (Igha) donor mice were transplanted into 3-week-old scid (Ighb) recipient mice. Splenic CD4+ T cells were recovered from transplanted scid mice 10-12 weeks post-transfer and established as T cell lines in culture. These T cell populations proliferated in vitro in response to syngeneic stimulator cells. T cell clones derived in vitro from these T cell lines displayed selfreactive recognition specificity: these CD4+ T cells proliferated in vitro in response to syngeneic/congeneic but not allogeneic stimulator cells. Cloned selfreactive T cells retransplanted into young scid recipients were engrafted into spleens of secondary recipients, did not induce autoimmune disease but stimulated development of scid-derived (Ighb), IgM-producing B cells (B cell leakiness).